Hearty Pasta Soup

Do something different with a pack of tortellini. This filling soup is full of fibre, low fat and full of veg. The perfect lunch or supper

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

2 carrot, chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

1l vegetable stock

400g can chopped tomato

200g frozen mixed pea and beans

250g pack fresh filled tortellini (we used spinach and ricotta)

handful of basil leaves (optional)

grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), to serve

Directions

Heat oil in a pan. Fry the carrots and onion for 5 mins until starting to soften. Add the stock and tomatoes, then simmer for 10 mins. Add the peas and beans with 5 mins to go.

Once veg is tender, stir in the pasta. Return to the boil and simmer for 2 mins until the pasta is just cooked. Stir in the basil, if using. Season, then serve in bowls topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan and slices of garlic bread.

Directions:

Spread a sheet of wax paper onto your counter to cool cookies on.
In a large bowl mix together oatmeal, peanut butter and vanilla, set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine sugar, milk and butter and cook over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil mixture for a full minute.
Remove from heat and pour over oatmeal mixture and stir until oatmeal is completely coated.
Spoon out cookie sized scoops onto the waxed paper and allow to cool until set and firm. Store in an airtight container. Bon Appetite!

Like this:

Ingredients (9 bars]

1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter, well-stirred

1/2 cup honey

3 cups toasted whole grain oats cereal

Instructions

Line an 8 x 8 inch square pan with parchment.

Combine peanut butter & honey in a large saucepan and set over medium heat. Heat until mixture just starts to simmer, about 2-3 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat and stir until mixture is well-combined.

Stir in cereal until evenly coated. Pour mixture into prepared pan, cover with parchment, and press firmly. (Edited to add: A pastry roller will help to firmly and evenly pack down the mixture so the bars hold their shape). Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Cut into bars. Store individually wrapped in the refrigerator.

Apricot Fruit Cake

This moist, spice-less fruitcake is one of our family favorites. It is not nearly as heavily flavored as dark fruitcake. Since no spices or molasses are used this cake relies purely on the flavor of the dried fruits.

Author: Barry C. Parsons

Recipe type: Cakes

Serves: One large fruitcake or 2-3 loaf cakes

Ingredients

2½ cups water

1½ cups light raisins or sultana raisins

2 cup dried apricots chopped

¼ cup sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

4 ounces (1/2 cup)cream cheese

4eggs

2½ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 pound glace cherries, chopped

1 pound mixed dried fruit

1½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium saucepan combine the water, apricots, ¼ cup sugar and raisins and simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool completely to room temperature.

Cream the butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together the flour and baking powder.

Fold half of the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Fold in the cooled boiled apricot mixture.

Fold in the remaining dry ingredients.

Fold in the cherries and dried fruit.

Bake in a greased and floured tube pan or 2 greased and parchment lined small loaf pans at 325 degrees F for about an hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

A tube pan will probably take over an hour depending on size. My small aluminum loaf pans took about 55 minutes. The toothpick test is the most reliable way to test if the cake is baked.

Cool in the pan/s for a 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in a cake tin or other airtight container. Freezes well too.

Notes

The prep time here includes cooling time for the boiled raisin base.
I recommend using light raisins in this recipe if you want to keep the golden color of the cake crumb. Using darker raisins can affect the color but not the flavour of the cake.